After a series of campaigns against Qi, Feng Jie, though holding military power, knew that at this point, conquest lay not only in swords and spears, but also in the hearts and minds of the people.

On that day, he sat in the government office west of Linzi City, summoned the village heads, elders, and surrendered scholars, and announced the new policies, which were no longer filled with murderous intent as they had been in the past.

The village chiefs, elders, and surrendered Confucian scholars listened anxiously with their heads bowed, or exchanged glances, wondering where the new policies would lead.

Feng Jie put down the bamboo scroll in his hand and slowly looked around at the crowd below. "I am acting on the orders of the King and the Grand Commandant, not only to quell the rebellion, but also to restore peace to the people."

"From this day forward, any scholar who wishes to present a book to demonstrate loyalty and abide by the law may register with the government to be exempted from the past responsibility of being implicated in others' crimes!"

"If the powerful and wealthy of the past are willing to abide by the law and pay taxes, and are willing to change their profession to business or farming, there is no need to continue to pursue past cases. I hope you will remember this kindness."

His voice wasn't loud, but every word was powerful and resonated deeply.

After these words were spoken, the audience fell silent for a moment.

An old man stroked his beard, rose shakily, and asked, "Sir, although the new policies are meant to incorporate and appease, I wonder if the people of Qi can still study and learn the teachings of Confucius?" His question revealed the concerns hidden in the hearts of many Confucian scholars.

After all, these people had more or less heard the rumors that Qin valued martial arts over literature, and they were afraid that Feng Jie would completely eradicate Confucian scholars and destroy the classics this time.

Upon hearing this, Feng Jie's expression remained calm and composed: "If the people of Qi take the teachings of Confucius as their guide, what crime have they committed? What we are trying to eliminate are those who incite unrest among the people, not those who want to eradicate Confucianism in one fell swoop."

"When the King holds the imperial examinations in the future, if your sons and daughters can study the classics and history and have sufficient talent, they can enter officialdom by virtue of their merits and serve the country and the people. This is the rule of the court, and everyone is treated equally."

As soon as he finished speaking, many students and scholars in the hall looked hesitant.

As everyone pondered, they heard Feng Jie chuckle softly, as if he had remembered something. "To tell you the truth, the King and Grand Commandant of Qin often think of the common people and plan to open schools in the countryside to teach children so that everyone can learn to read and write."

After a while, seeing that no one asked any more questions, Feng Jie decided to start the conversation: "I have observed that the Qi region has always revered Confucius and has a strong literary tradition. If we can use this land to rebuild the academy, it will be of great benefit to both the people and the officials."

"From now on, as long as the sons of Qi abide by the law, they can make a future through their talents and learning. Even if they have no interest in officialdom, they can go to the countryside to teach and impart knowledge, which will benefit the local people."

These words caused another stir in the hall. Some people were slightly pleased, while others remained skeptical.

The old man coughed lightly and then asked, "If schools are established, how will the teachers be prepared? Does the government have specific regulations? After all, people in the countryside have always struggled to balance farming and studying, so I'm afraid it will be difficult to support teachers immediately..."

Feng Jie raised his hand to stop him from speaking, and turned to look at the crowd: "The matter of the school can be piloted in the city first. The national treasury will allocate funds for its repair and the hiring of teachers. Anyone who is willing to serve as an official or teach can go and submit their applications."

"However, this matter involves a wide range of issues and requires the joint efforts of many parties. If any village head or elders can help contact and persuade the villagers to let their children enroll in school!"

Feng Jie's move was by no means a whim. Since the Qi region was incorporated into the government, the former Qi people, though troubled by the chaos of war, were mostly lost and unsure of where to turn.

If we can bestow favors upon them so that their children can learn literature and reason, their loyalty to the court will be significantly enhanced in the future.

Furthermore, giving those scholars who were once under the command of the King of Qi a place to use their talents is also a gentle way to resolve the situation—it gives them a way out while keeping them firmly under control under the new policies.

A young scholar stood up from the crowd, his face slightly pale, clearly from the shock of the past few days: "If what you say is true, sir, we are willing to submit our letter to express our loyalty and also wish to bring benefits to this region!"

"But... I don't know how to prove my innocence and not be seen as a traitorous accomplice?" He asked cautiously, afraid that a careless word might bring trouble.

Feng Jie was not angry, but solemnly replied: "Although the remnants of the former Qi king and his ministers have not been completely quelled, as long as you have not secretly colluded with the rebels, you may go to the government office to register. If there is no concrete evidence pointing to you, the government will not arbitrarily implicate you."

At this moment, the whispers below gradually subsided. Although the people's wariness of the Qin state had not been completely eliminated, it seemed as if a glimmer of hope had appeared.

Some people thought that since Feng Jie had made this promise, at least the scholars wouldn't be driven to desperation. In addition, the exemption from past crimes would provide a way out for the people who had previously chosen the wrong side or were forced into the rebellion.

At this moment, a slender-looking village elder stepped forward, leaning on a bamboo cane, and said with great emotion, "We old folks are truly grateful for your kindness, sir. We only hope that while you are magnanimous, you will not indulge the powerful and tyrannical."

"After all, the Qi region has been plagued by wars and turmoil. Those local bullies are likely to take the opportunity to amass wealth and oppress the good people. If they are not purged, the people's hearts will remain uneasy."

Feng Jie nodded slightly: "Rest assured, if there is any oppression of good people, I will definitely order the special patrol to investigate thoroughly. This new policy is not only to give the old nobles a way to survive, but also to support the common people. It sounds simple, but it requires the joint efforts of all the village heads and elders."

These words made many people's eyes brighten. As long as they followed the instructions of this Qin official, their lives would gradually become more stable. Even if they dared not hope for an official career, they could at least live a peaceful life as common people.

Seeing that the situation seemed to be stabilizing, some officials who had already surrendered chimed in, praising the new policies as benevolent and promising to strictly abide by the laws.

Before long, Feng Jie instructed his subordinates to distribute the new policy provisions to the village heads and elders present. The bamboo slips recorded specific details regarding the registration of Confucian scholars, the opening of academies, tax reductions and exemptions, and the access for merchants and traders.

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